Family Tradition
by Maraudercat
Summary: Draco and Astoria find themselves disagreeing over names for their unborn child. Written for the Birth of a Name challenge on HPFC.


Disclaimer: If you recognize it it belongs to JKR

**Written for the Birth of a Name challenge on HPFC**

* * *

><p>"Absolutely not"<p>

Astoria stood, fists on hips, in the doorway as Draco slammed the star charts on the table.

"It's a family tradition," he replied defensively, hand clenched around the piece of parchment where he had been listing possible names.

"I would have thought that you, of all people, would understand that _that _is exactly why not."

She stormed across the room and snatched the parchment from his hand.

"I thought you would understand why."

If Astoria was surprised by his reply, she covered it well. For the past seven years Draco had been doing all he could to distance himself from his family history, as he dryly termed it. His parents had moved to France, far away from reporters and victims of the Death Eater regime. The warmer weather provided a more comfortable environment for his father's ailing health, and his mother an opportunity to travel free of her husband. She visited several times a year, but mostly left Draco and his young wife alone. She had approved of his decision to donate a two thousand galleons-more than half the gold in their vault after the fines-towards the rehabilitation and comfort of those harmed in the war. The money helped repair destroyed homes and provided financial support for healer's bills and orphaned children.

He and Astoria both volunteered at St Mungo's potions department on weekends, brewing dreamless sleeping draughts, burn salves, whatever was required. It had started as community service, one of the many conditions that kept him and his family out of Azkaban, along with significant fines, bi-annual auror chek-ups, and travel restrictions. But Draco had found the sessions relaxing; potion brewing was something he had always been good at, a talent inherited from his mother. They had provided him with a chance to get away from the cutting remarks, the hateful glares, and just do something that he could do.

But the family tradition-Black family tradition, not Malfoy- he thought pointedly, of star names for their children was not something he was going to give up. All his childhood lessons, his parents' teachings had taught him that family comes before everything. Certainly, there had been the spin of Pureblood supremacy, that blood mattered, but at the heart of it all, it was family-the extended pureblood family- that mattered most of all.

He was surprised from his thoughts by Astoria's soft voice.

"Lyra is nice."

She was staring at the parchment, brow creased in its delicate reading frown, one finger absently tapping the side.

"Lyra Malfoy. It needs a middle name, but for a girl…"

Draco recovered his surprise at her sudden turn-about, and asked "And for a boy?"

Astoria glanced at him, then back at the list, a small smile flitting across her face as she examined the second column.

Deciding it was safe Draco stood and wrapped his arms around her, caressing her slightly swollen middle as he murmured, "What about Caelum? Caelum…..something Malfoy."

She rested her head against his chest as she replied, "I sort of like Scorpius actually. Scorpius Malfoy. Scorpius….something Malfoy."

"Something short," he replied with a chuckle, "or the poor boy will never learn to spell his name."

"Why," she replied with a mischievous note in her voice now, "I was just thinking something grand like Hyperion or Ophiuchus, or even Zeus perhaps?"

"Scorpius Zeus Malfoy," They were both laughing now.

"Lyra Hera Malfoy, for a girl? Lyra Artemis Malfoy? Lyra Mira-"

He covered her mouth with one hand, cutting off the ridiculous suggestions.

"If she has to suffer my surname, am not giving my daughter the additional burden of Lyra Mira."

"Lyra Narcissa then, if you insist on keeping it in the family. And Scorpius Draco."

"No," he said firmly. "Something else, not…not after me. Or my father."

"Scorpius Harry?" she suggested cheekily, dancing out of his arms as he gaped with horror.

"No, absolutely not!"

With another chuckle, she took his hand and pulled him into the old leather armchair.

"We still have four and a half months to decide, love. I'm sure we'll find something that we both like."

Draco just smiled, and wrapped his arms again around his beautiful wife and unborn child.


End file.
